Daily Archives: July 26, 2012

Robert “Bob” Odell McEwen, 65, of Savannah died on July 13, 2012 at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. He was born on December 13, 1946 in Jacksonville to Raleigh and Eileen McEwen and graduated from Baker County High School in 1964, the same year he joined the Navy. He attended GA Southern and worked at Reidsville State Prison as a correctional officer. He was an engineer with CSX until 1986, and also owned and operated MEGA Security Systems. Bob was Past Commander of American Legion Post 135, and an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, where he served in several capacities.

Bob was a giving man who generously gave of his time to help others. He was a charter member of the Handyman Club of America. He was the founder of Shag Beach Bop Dance Club, and loved beach music and brought many top beach bands to the area. He was an active participant in Savannah Tea Party, 13th Colony Patriots, Act for America and American Soldiers’ Wife, and neighborhood watch groups. He loved his Lord, his family, America, and wanted freedom upheld.

Wallace E. (Ike) Pearson, 92, of Jacksonville died on July 10. The grandson of an Irish immigrant who stowed away on a ship to come to America, he was born on April 18, 1920 in Louisiana to Wallace Edward and Emma O’Cleary Pearson. He was always proud of his Irish heritage and the strong work ethic instilled in him as a child.

As a young man, Ike travelled and worked in many western states and Mexico. He moved to Pennsylvania to work in the shipyards before finally settling in Florida. He worked in Mount Dora and then travelled back up north to Jacksonville to work with the Great Southern Trucking Company. His fondness for horses and cattle led him to follow his dream. At Great Southern, Ike met Cherrie Fish. They married and together worked to build a small ranch in western Jacksonville off Chaffee Road.

He opened Ike’s Ranch Supply in Whitehouse, and later he and his wife sold some of their property to the state of Florida for the construction of I-10. With the emergence of I-10, the area of Whitehouse began to grow. As a businessman, Mr. Pearson was a planner with Christian values who sought to bring quality family businesses into the shopping and retail area now known as Chaffee Point.

Frank Warren Shepard, 81, of Glen St. Mary died Monday, July 16, at the Macclenny Nursing and Rehab Center following a long illness. He was a native of Macclenny and had resided in Glen since 1973. He served with the U.S. Air Force for 20 years, retiring as a master sgt. in 1969. He was the safety director at Aero Corp in Lake City until his retirement after 26 years. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, an Air Force veteran of the Korean War, a graduate of Lake City Community College, and a member of the American Legion. He enjoyed woodworking, Florida State football and the Alhambra Dinner Theatre.

The Lady Wildcat softball team won the district title with wins over Terry Parker and Paxon.

Haley Crews struck out six and allowed only two hits as BCHS defeated the Parker Braves 15-1 on Thursday, April 17. Crews had a strong effort from the mound and backed it up by going 4 of 4 from the plate.

BCHS jumped on top 7-0 in the first innings. Doubles from Crews and Shelby Gatto helped the Cats to an early lead. Crews, Tina Hauge, Gatto, Kylie Holton, Clara Harvey, Taylor Crummey and Tayler McCann all scored.

The Cats got a run from Holton in the second and a pair from Crews and Hauge in the third to stretch their lead to 10-0.